Typewriter and the like



R. REYNOLDS.

TYPEWRITER AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 6, 1920.

1 3 3 757 Patented July 5, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

' R. REYNOLDS.

TYPEWRITER AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION men NOV. 6. 1920.

1,383,757. Patented July 5, 1921.

2 SHE ETSSHEET 2- UNITED STATES" PATE T i OFFICE"? mzemnnn REYNOLDS, or.BARNES, Lennon, ENGLAND.

'IYPEWRITER m LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, REGINALD REYNOLDS, a subject of the King of'GreatBritain. and Ireland, and'residing at 34, The Crescent, Barnes, London,S. W., England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in andRelating to Typewriters and the like, for which I have' filedapplication in Great Britain Oct. 10, 1919, Patent No. 151,036, acceptedSept. 23, the following is a specification. This invention relates tomechanism for typewriting machines and'the like, and'ha-s for its objectto provide an improved mechanism forthe purpose of insuring (a) a reduction of effort and total noise inoperation; (6) increased speed; (c)regularity of the impression and the ability to effect automaticsuccessive typing of the'elements of a combination of figures or lettersupon the The present invention consists in the com-- bination with atypewriter or like machine of pneumatically operating means includingkey buttons which are adapted directly to actuate single acting valveshoused'beneath a preferably normally situated keyboard, these valvescontrolling pneumatically relay valves, which in turn control pneumaticmeans actuating the type-carrying arms,

The invention also consists in a pneu-.

matically operated typewriter or like machine including key buttons,upon the stems of which are mounted single acting valves controlling theentry-of air to double acting relay valve operating pneumatics, bellowschambers adapted to operate under control of the relay valves to actuatethe type-carrying arms preferably through the intermedia tionofbellcrank levers and links.

The invention also consistsin a type a writer or like machine as lndcated above,

including pneumatically actuated spacing means controlled bytwosimultaneously operating valves controlled alternatively by a handoperated spacing va'lveor by valves operated automatically vthe typestriking mechanism. V The lnventlon also conslsts in a typewriter orlike machine as indicated above, including pneumatically operated meansautomatically effecting successive typing of a Specification of LettersPatent.

1920 of which plurality of letters or figures upon operation of a singlecontrol button or key.

The invention also consists in the. improvedv typewriting and likemechanisms hereinafter described.

Referring tothe accompanying diagrammatic drawings Figure 1 represents aconvenient form of application ofthe present invention to a typewriterof existing type.

Figs. 2 and 3 represent to 'a larger scale details of the actuatingvalve for the feeding device and. details of the feeding devicerespectively.

'Fig. 4 represents form of additional" mechanism which may be providedfor effecting typing of a combination of .charac ters by the movement ofa single key button.

by pneumatically operated valve 6. A sepa rate bellows, valve and airduct-is rovided for each character-it is required to type, only onebeing shown in Fig. 1 for sake of clearness." The valve 6 normally restsin the position indicated in Fig. 1, thus throwing the bellows 6 open toatmosphere through orifice f. In. its raised position the valve closesorifice f and putsv the bellows '6 into communication with the suctionchamber a. The bellows b carries a plate 'g which engages thetypeoperating rod h carrying-an adjustable tappet head 2'.

As indicated more clearly in Fig. 2, the tappet head is adapted todepress a spring controlled flap valve j which opens or closes toatmosphere the air port 70 according as the valve is depressed againstthe its spring, or released as shown. v r

The valve 6 is operated by the admission of air to the pneumatic Z whichis effected byxd pressing the keyboard button m and PatentedJuly 5,1921. Application filed November 6, 1920. Serial No. 422,309. r I

action of i comprises conveniently a double bellows chamber connected oneither side with valve chambers 20 and I) by pipes *w and 02respectively.

Vithin the valve chambers u and q) are valves g and c operatedrespectively by pneumatics 1 and 2 which are connected in parallel withthe junction chamber 29 by.

pipe 3.

In their normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, the valve y opens the pipeto, to atmosphere and closes its communication with the suction chamber4 whereas the valve 2 opens the communication between the pipe 20 andsuction chamber 4 and shuts off communication with the atmosphere at 5.

The movable bellows plate 6 of the bellowst carries a finger 7 engagingthe teeth of feed wheel 8 when occupying the position as shown inFig. 1. lVhen the plate 6 is rocked over about its hinge 9 the finger 7moves out of engagement with the wheel 8 and engages instead the wheel10. Suitable adjustable stops 11 are provided to limit the rockingmovement ofthe plate 6. The feed wheels 8 and 10 are mounted on theusual feedspindle 1.2 which is adapted to move the platen roller 13longitudinally in the usual manner through the intermediary of rack andpinion 14.

-Upon the end of spindle 12 is mounted a sprocket 15 connected by achain with a similar sprocket 16 carried by the crank shaft 17 of an airmotor 18. This air motor is connected through pipe 19 with the mainsuction bellows.

In operation suction is applied to pipes 19 and 20 and suction chamber aand the mechanism occupies the position indicated in Fig. 1. Ondepression of any key button say on air is admitted to pneumatic Z thusraising valve 0. The orifice 7 being now closed and 0 open, the bellowsZ2 is deflated and the type ro'd' it operated. Near the end of thedownward travel of this type rod the valve" j is depressed by tappethead i, air being thereby admitted to junction chamber 79.

By this means both valves y and a are lifted and the pipe 00 which wasin communication with the suction chamber 4 is opened to atmosphere, thepipe w being simultaneously put into communication with suction chamber4. The plate 6 is rocked from right to left by the combined effectof,.;atmospheric pressure in pipe w and suction in pipe w. This rockingmovement permits the motor 18 partially to rotate the shaft 12 until atooth on the wheel 10 meets the finger 7, which thus arrests furthermotion.

On release of the button on the bellows b is connected with theatmosphere and opens by its spring, thus restoring the rod h and valve jtotheir normal positions. Since the chamber 22 is now closed toatmosphere, the valves 7 and z are depressed and as a result the plate(Sis rocked back, and its finger 7 brought into engagement with an othertooth on the wheel 8 as before. This effects the necessary longitudinalmovement of the platen roller 18 in a well known manner.

It will be understood that a similar action is produced by the otherkeyboard buttons, each of which controls its individual bellows chamberZ).

As regards the spacingbar 21 a similar valve 22 is providedjbut the airport 23 is connected direct to the junction chamber p through pipe T.

It will be appreciated that since the movement of the type operatingrods is effected pneumatically, being merely controlled by the keys, theaction is rendered practically silent, the effort required to actuatethe machine greatly reduced, and uniformity of impression secured.Furthermore, by effecting uniformity in action irrespective ofvariations in the operators touch considerable wear and tear upon themechanism is avoided.

The entire mechanism may be contained in a combination desk andtypewriter.

According to a modification in addition I link up a series ofpneumatics, the action of a single primary being made to operate thatentire combination.

In other words, by a suitable combination of valves I produce a word ofseveral letters by the operation of a single key.

Such an arrangement is indicated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, in which, forexample, a combination of four characters is adapted to be typedautomatically by the actuation of a single key 30. This key actuates aflap valve 81 controlling a port 32 inpipe 33 communicating withparallel pneumatics 34, These pneumatics effect opening and closing ofvalves 36, 37 to place pipes 38 and 39 in communication with theatmosphere or with the suction chamber 40, the latter being connectedthrough pipe 41 with the main suction source.

A double acting bellows 42 is provided with a plate 43 hinged at 44 andoperating an arm 45 pivoted to a lever 46 itself pivotally supported at47 to a fixed block 48. r A rod 49 is provided which is hinged at oneend at 50 to a fixed block 51 and is pivotally connected at 53 to avertical tappet 52.

. opening in a pipe 71 are provided which are adapted to be raised.

against the action of springs by the cam 55, as explained below- Theflap valve 70 (Fig. 6) controls the which is connected to thepipe-joining the key and the primary pneumatic of the first character itis required to include in the combination. Similarly the pipescontrolled by the remaining three flap valves 69, 68 and 67 areconnected respectively with-the corresponding pipes of the remainingthree characters of the combination.

In operation when it is desired to type the combination selected, thekey 30 is depressed. n

Air enters the orifice 32-since 31 is depressed--and raises both valves36 and 37, thus applying suction to the pipe 39 (which was previouslyopen to atmosphere) and opening to atmosphere pipe 38 (which waspreviously subject to suction). In effect the plate 59 is lifted againstthe action of its spring and the rod 49 rocked upward about its pivot50. In addition, the bellows plate 43 is moved over to the right and thecranked piece 54 correspondingly moved to the left upon the bar 49, butthis latter movement is arranged to lag somewhat behind the rockingmovement of the bar 49 by the provision of an adjustable chokingorifice72.

The effect of the movement to the left of the block 54 while raised bythe rod 49 is to cause the cam 55 to open and close successively theflap valves 70, 69, 68 and 67 against the action of their springs, thusad mitting air successively to the primary pneumatics of the characterscomprising the combination. 7 Immediately this movement of the block 54is complete the key 30 may be released. Both valves 36 and 37 at oncereturn to their normal positions as indicated in Fig. 4, suction isapplied to pipe 38' and,

pipe 39 is opened to the atmosphere. Air passes through pipe 58,inflates the bellows- 57, thus causing the rod 49 to return to theposition which it occupies in Fig. 4. After a short interval of timeaccording to the setting'of the choking orifice 72, the plate 43 drawsback the block 54, but as the rod 49 is now rocked downward, the cam 55passes beneath the ends of the valves 67, 68, 69 and 70, withoutactuating them. This avoids the characters comprising the combinationbeing again typed in the reverse order.

av1ng now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toscure by Letters Patent is 1. pneumatically operated typewriterincluding type-carrying arms, bellows actuating said type-carrying armsunder control of double acting relay valves, single acting valvesmounted on said key buttons and con-- trolling said double acting relayvalves, pneumatically actuated spacing means and a spacing valvecontrolling said spacing ineans operated automatically by said belows.

2. A pneumatically including ating said type-carrying arms under controlof double acting relay valves, single acting valves mounted on said keybuttons and controlling said double acting relay valves, pneumaticallyactuated spacing means and a operated typewriter spacing valvecontrolling said spacing means operated automatically by said bellowsand further operable at will by a further key button.

3. The combination with a typewriter, type carrying arms, pneumaticactuating means therefor, relay valves controlling said actuating means,,key buttons, single acting valves directly actuated by said key buttonsfor controlling said relay valves, spacing mechanism, relay valvescontrolling said spacing mechanism, an air junction box having a pipeplacing thesame in communication with the relay valves last mentioned, aspace bar controlled valve for admitting air to said junction box, andmeans actuated by the first mentioned pneumatic actuating means for alsoadmitting air to said junction box. I

4. In a pneumatically operated mechanism for typewriters, a plurality offlap valves, pneumatic actuating means, relay valves controlling saidactuating means, a key button for controlling said relay valves, abellows controlled by said relay valves and having a movable member, aends pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot and provided at its opposite endwith means actuated by said pneumatic actuating means. a second leveractuated by the movable member of the bellows, and a member slidablymounted on the first mentioned lever and connected to the secondmentioned lever for successively operating said flap valves when saidkey is actuated.

In testimony whereof I name to this specification.

REGINALD REYNOLDS.

have signed my type-carrying arms, bellows actulever having one of its

